Canadair CF-104

Canadair CF-104

Infobox Aircraft
name= CF-104 Starfighter


caption=Starfighter "704" from No. 417 Squadron at the Aerospace Engineering and Test Establishment (AETE), CFB Cold Lake
type=Interceptor aircraft
manufacturer=Canadair
designer=Lockheed Corporation
first flight= 26 May 1961
introduced=March 1962
retired=1987
status=
primary user=Royal Canadian Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=200
unit cost=
developed from = F-104 Starfighter
variants with their own articles=

The Canadair CF-104 (CF-111, CL-90) was a modified version of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter supersonic fighter aircraft built in Canada by Canadair under licence. It served with the Royal Canadian Air Force and later the Canadian Forces until it was replaced by the CF-18 Hornet.

Design and development

In the late 1950s, Canada redefined her role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a commitment to a nuclear strike mission. At the same time, the Royal Canadian Air Force began to consider a replacement for the Canadair F-86 Sabre series that had been utilized as a NATO "day-fighter." Bashow 1990, p. 8.] An international fighter competition involved current types in service as well as development, including the Blackburn Buccaneer, Dassault Mirage IIIC, Fiat G.91, Grumman Super Tiger, Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, Northrop N-156 and the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. Although the RCAF had preferred the F-105 equipped with an Avro Canada Orenda Iroquois engine, eventually the choice for a strike-reconnaissance aircraft revolved around cost as well as capability. [ McIntyre 1985, p. 6. Note: The McDonnell F-4 was never considered although many sources have listed it as a contender and the RCAF's preferred choice.]

A Canadian government requirement for a license manufacture also favoured the Lockheed proposal due to a collaboration with Canadair based in Montreal. On 14 August 1959, Canadair was selected to manufacture 200 aircraft for the RCAF under license from Lockheed. In addition, Canadair was contracted to manufacture wingsets, tail assemblies and rear fuselage sections for 66 Lockheed-built F-104Gs destined for the West German Luftwaffe. [ [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f104_27.html Canadair CF-104 Starfighter] Note: Canadair eventually built a total of 600 wing, tail and fuselage sections.]

Canadair's internal designation was CL-90 while the RCAF's version was initially designated CF-111, then changed to CF-104. Although basically similar to the F-104G, the CF-104 was optimized for the nuclear strike/reconnaissance role, fitted with R-24A NASARR equipment dedicated to the air-to-ground mode only as well as having provision for a ventral reconnaissance pod equipped with four Vinten cameras. Other differences included retaining the removable refuelling probe, use of the fuselage-mounted 20-mm M61A1 cannon and the main undercarriage members being fitted with longer-stroke liquid springs and larger tires. The first flight of a Canadian-built CF-104 (s/n 12701) occurred on 26 May 1961. [ Stachiw and Tattersall 2007, p. 30.] The Canadair CF-104 production was 200 aircraft with an additional 140 F-104Gs produced for Lockheed. [ Pickler and Milberry 1990, p. 186.]

Operational history

The CF-104 entered Canadian service in March 1962. Originally designed as a supersonic interceptor aircraft, it was used primarily for low level strike and reconnaissance by the RCAF. CF-104 squadrons were stationed in Europe as part of Canada's NATO commitment. Up to 1971, this included a nuclear strike role that would see Canadian aircraft armed with US Nuclear Weapons in the event of a conflict with Warsaw Pact forces.

Over the course of the aircraft's lifespan in service, some 110 were lost to accidents, earning the CF-104 the nickname of "Widowmaker" or "Lawn Dart" in the air force.

The CF-104 was replaced by the CF-18 Hornet and retired from service by the Canadian Forces in 1987. Most of the remaining aircraft were sold to Turkey.

Variants

;CF-104: Single-seat fighter-bomber version for the RCAF.;CF-104D: Two-seat training version for the RCAF.

Operators

;CAN
* Royal Canadian Air Force
* Canadian Forces
** No. 417 Squadron RCAF
** No. 421 Squadron RCAF
** No. 422 Squadron RCAF
** No. 427 Squadron RCAF
** No. 430 Squadron RCAF
** No. 434 Squadron RCAF
** No. 439 Squadron RCAF
** No. 441 Squadron RCAF
** No. 444 Squadron RCAF;DEN
* Royal Danish Air Force
** The Royal Danish Air Force operated 15 surplus CF-104 aircraft and 7 CF-104D aircraft.;NOR
* Royal Norwegian Air Force
**The Royal Norwegian Air Force operated 22 surplus CF-104 aircraft and 3 CF-104D aircraft.;TUR
* Turkish Air Force
**The Turkish Air Force operated 44 surplus CF-104 aircraft and 6 CF-104D aircraft.

urvivors

;Starfighters Demo teamThe Florida based civilian 'Starfighters Demo team' currently operate one CF-104D (104632) and two CF-104 aircraft (104759 and 104850).

Mark Sherman from Phoenix, Arizona owns and operates a single CF-104D (104633)

A Norwegian team of volunteers are restoring CF-104D (104637) to airworthy status.

pecifications (CF-104)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet

crew=1
capacity=
length main=54 ft 6 in
length alt=16.7 m
span main=21 ft 9 in
span alt=6.63 m
height main=13 ft 5 in
height alt=4.08 m
area main=
area alt=
empty weight main=14,000 lb
empty weight alt=6,300 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=29,038 lb
max takeoff weight alt=13,171 kg

engine (jet)=Orenda J79-OEL-7
type of jet=afterburning turbojet
number of jets=1
thrust main=10,000 lbf
thrust alt=44 kN
afterburning thrust main=15,800 lbf
afterburning thrust alt=66.7 kN
max speed main=1,146 mph
max speed alt=996 knots, 1,844 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=1,630 mi
range alt=1,420 nm, 2,630 km
ceiling main=50,000 ft
ceiling alt=12,000 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=

guns=20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan cannon
* Other: External bombs and missiles

Badges

ee also

aircontent
related=
* F-104 Starfighter
* Aeritalia F-104S

similar aircraft=
* English Electric Lightning
* Sukhoi Su-15

sequence=
* Canadair sequence:
** CL-66 - CL-84 - CL-89 - CL-90 - CL-215 - CL-217 - CL-227

lists=
* List of fighter aircraft
* List of military aircraft of Canada
* List of F-104 Starfighter operators

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Bashow, David L. "Starfighter: A Loving Retrospective of the CF-104 Era in Canadian Fighter Aviation, 1961-1986". Stoney Creek, Ontario: Fortress Publications Inc., 1990. ISBN 0-91919-512-1.
* Francillion, R. J. "Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913." London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-370-30329-6.
* McIntyre, Robert. "CF-104 Starfighter (Canadian Profile: Aircraft No. 1)". Ottawa, Ontario: Sabre Model Supplies Ltd., 1985. ISBN 0-920375-99-6.
* Pickler, Ron and Milberry, Larry. "Canadair: The First 50 Years." Toronto: CANAV Books, 1995. ISBN 0-921022-07-7.
* Stachiw, Anthony L. and Tattersall, Andrew. "CF104 Starfighter (Aircraft in Canadian Service)". St. Catharine's, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing Limited, 2007. ISBN 1-55125-114-0.

External links

* [http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/historical/starfighterlst_e.asp Canadian Forces Historical Aircraft - CF-104]
* [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/fighters/starfighter/index.php?name=Starfighter CF-104 at RCAF.com]
* [http://www.starfighters.net/Aircraft_Home.html Starfighters F-104 Demo team]
* [http://www.starfighter.no/web/indeng.html Norwegian site with CF-104D restoration for flight]
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f104_27.html Canadair CF-104 Starfighter]
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f104_28.html Lockheed CF-104D Starfighter]


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